The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-05-27

His family unhappily, didn't sympathize
with his military tastes. They had strong
ambitions in a different direction. They be-
longed to and fraternized with the present
and its material interests. His wife had been
obliged to be both financial and domestic
manager, and her husbands improvidence
often placed her in very awkward predica-
ments. Their son turned his attention to law
and looked forward hopefully to future dis
tinction. He had worked hard to pull him
self up to the starting place, too; and the
neighbors said he deserved credit The
daughters leaned to music and painting, and
dreamed of careers, and vainly wished it
were possible to convince their over patriotic
father that the war had long since ended.
The captain, though bodily figure in his
household, in spirit dwelt in the past, amid
the roar of battle or in the idle days of wait
ing in camp, and was happy as only one who
indulges his pet dreams can be. As his hair
whitened and old age began to face him
squarely, his war stories were often finished
with sigh, and he spoke more frequently of
reunions in that unknown country into which
flesh and blood can never enter, and where
war and the engines of war are neither
known nor needed. And when there were
reunions here-when the old veterans met and
marched on fields Of peace under flags that
had been triumphantly borne in war-Capt
Hatton's eyes were always dim with tears
Once he looked at the shrunken column OF
veterans and feelingly repeated these lines;
Another mighty host comes marching slow
From their long bivouacs in the grass and
snow
By these they fought and suffered long ago.
Through every street they march with silent
tread
Quicken the living, ye the living dead;
Look, the same tattered flag is overhead.
His materialistic and unpoetical friends said
that he was getting old and possibly little
soeble minded; but those who are much inter-
ested in life never understand the feeling o
those who are slipping out of it.
Last year, as Decoration day approached
Capt Hatton's eyes burned with more patri
otic fervor than ever. Honors to the deaC
heroes of the war gave him great joy, Hi
fellow townsmen, knowing the depth anC
strength of his patriotism, requested him Il
give a talk ON Decoration day, IN the GENE
terry, on the war and its heroic dead.
The day came The few soldiers grave
In the Braceville cemetery were most pro
digally covered with flowers, Prayers wer
offered, poems read and eulogies pronounced
over the brave men who died in their coun
try's service. But there We're few to weeI
over them. Their companions and friend
had nearly all vanished from under the sun
Capt Hatton's address astonished every
body. 1t was the outpouring of his heart OF
theme dearer to him than all else, and th'
! force and feeling with which he spoke set thu
hearts of his hearers on fire, and they wept
He painted the spirit of the war as it came Il
and oyershadowed the peaceful land; he de
scribed the action Of battle, the courage o.
the soldiers, their endurance and patience il
the long marches and the tsdious camp life
He painted, too, the Battle Of Shiloh, wher'
he had given the best of his coIporeal franz
that awful scene, where after the fight on'
could walk long distances stepping only OF
dead bodies.